In fact, the study shows that such restrictions are associated with an increase in cigarette use in teens.

The problem is that when e-cigarettes are restricted under the same laws as traditional tobacco cigarettes, it makes it harder for teens to try switching to this significantly less habit that has already helped many adult smokers to cease or reduce their tobacco intake.

Dr. Michael Pesko, an assistant professor of healthcare policy at Weill Cornell Medicine, explained why “it would be a mistake to regulate them the same way we regulate cigarettes”.

Due to the potential for slight health risks in electronic cigarettes, American states such as Hawaii and New York have both increased the legal purchasing age to 21, alongside cigarettes. However, the study suggests that while cigarettes should only be purchased by those 21 and over, e-cigarettes should not be similarly restricted, in order to encourage smoking cessation.

Fortunately, vaping is more popular amongst teens than smoking. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) e-cig use in high school students in 2014 was 13.4 percent, while traditional cigarette use was down to 9.2 percent.

Hopefully, future government bodies around the world will take studies such as this into account when updating electronic cigarette regulations.